- araratchurch
- Dec 23, 2022
- 2 min read
“And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
Luke 2:12 NKJV
Obviously, when we read stories from the Bible, we are not given all the minutia of the events. Basically, we are told what we need to know to be able to form a correct picture of what the Lord wants us to receive.
Additionally, we see that many major events described in the Bible have been prophesied at some other point in the Bible so that the events can be recognized and given due attention.
In our opening scripture we see that the angel—having told the shepherds the good news of Christ being born—gives them two signs indicating that they have found the One Who is Christ the Lord. First, the child will be swaddled in strips of cloth; secondly, He will be lying in a manger. Although swaddling was a common practice in those days (as is still today in some cultures), being accompanied with the fact that the newborn would be lying in a manger, basically would remove all doubt that they were seeing the Lord when they came upon Him.
Now, why is this important? You see, we have a large portion of what the shepherds probably had to do in order to find Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, left to the imagination. As we discussed earlier, Bethlehem was overrun with people because of the census. Indeed, so many that there was no place for Mary and Joseph to stay; therefore they were relegated to a barn of sorts.
Now, as we will see, the shepherds went to find Jesus. What we are not told in the narrative (as it is not essential to our understanding, but is obvious to our reasoning) is that they didn’t go straight and find Him. They probably went to any number of places throughout the city before coming upon the stable in which the Christ Child was born.
Our personal seeking for a savior can feel like a daunting task. So many voices offer relief; but there can be only One Savior. Indeed, God has given us sure signs that Jesus is the One Whom we seek in that He fulfilled every Old Testament prophecy concerning the coming Messiah.
The testimony of the shepherds to those they told the story of having seen the Lord, was reinforced by the important fact that the angel had told exactly where He would be and in what state He would be found.
Make no mistake, the Lord shepherded every detail concerning the birth—indeed, the life—of Jesus; every prophecy was fulfilled.
Our trusting Jesus as being the Savior sent from God is not baseless. God gave us clear signs that would accompany every aspect of His life.
For today meditate on the sure signs the word of God has given us concerning the identity of our Lord. Additionally, consider the signs given pointing to the time of the Lord’s return that we are seeing all around us even today.
Oh, what a wonderful assurance we have that the little boy sleeping in that manger on that starry night in Bethlehem was the Savior, Christ the Lord!
Peace to you.
- araratchurch
- Dec 21, 2022
- 2 min read
“Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
Luke 2:10-11 NKJV
In re-examining our opening scripture from yesterday, we find more about the reason we don’t have to fear anymore.
God, in His limitless mercy and love, has made good on the promise to send a Messiah to His people.
But here’s the thing, it seems that the people were looking for a Messiah who was going to primarily relieve them from oppression of their enemies. In actuality, the Lord had done just that all through the Old Testament. In fact, the enemy only gained the upper hand when the people of God were under judgment for their disobedience. They did not know that what they ultimately needed was a Messiah or Savior Who would deliver them from their own selves, that is, their own sin.
Several years ago the Lord spoke to me—calling me by name—and said, “You have to know you need a Savior to have One.” Now, The fact is, as long as I can remember I had thought of the Lord as being my Savior; I didn’t know any other way of thinking. But the problem was that I was somehow still trying to prove my worth to the Lord in a way that He must’ve seen as being prideful. Now, on the surface, I would never have thought that because I was often self-deprecating. But, that self-deprecation was often to get a laugh or to “unarm” people who otherwise might have rejected me. Oh, I don’t know how we get ourselves in such cluttered and messy ways of thinking and doing; but the Lord cut through all of that mess—and in that one statement—opened my eyes to the fact that I was helpless to save myself, and there was nothing I could do about that fact except to receive the free gift of God through Jesus Christ. Only in doing so, could I appropriate His blood for true freedom from my sin and all my shortcomings.
Oddly enough, as I come to more and more see my need for a Savior, I am more and more able to relax into His arms.
For today meditate on whether or not you are somehow trying to prove your worth to God, trying to “cover” for your own lack.
Additionally, if you feel like a naughty toddler sitting with a bowl of spaghetti on top of your head, now facing the glaring eye of your mother, understand that the Lord is the One Who came to clean you up, and not even fuss about what you’ve done!
The fact is: we need a Savior and we have One! Now, that’s the best news ever!
Peace to you.
- araratchurch
- Dec 20, 2022
- 2 min read
“Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
Luke 2:10-11 NKJV
On that special night in Bethlehem, the news to the shepherds that the Savior has been born, begins with some of the most needed words anyone will ever hear: “Do not be afraid.”
We are living in the Last Days before the coming of Jesus Christ; we see the fulfilling of the prophetic word concerning how this time would be characterized:
““And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.””
Luke 21:25-28 NKJV
Fear abounds in the hearts of men as we see our way of life collapsing as lawlessness increases. But, just as the angel tells the shepherds not to be afraid because he is bringing good news, we can know that we share in that same good news! Therefore, we should not fear!
But wait, there’s more! We also have the promise that these times of great fear will be abruptly ended for us when the Lord says, “Come up here!”
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”
John 14:1-3 NKJV
Remember, an important part of preparing for the celebration of the Lord‘s birth and His Second Coming is to remind yourself that God keeps His promises. And, just as the Lord was faithful to His promise in sending the Messiah to be born of a virgin, we can be sure that our Lord will soon come again in the greatest rescue mission ever and take us to be with Him forever. So, do not fear!
Peace to you!